Nebraska man uses Midwest wind to his advantage

Living in the second windiest location in Nebraska, Leon Cederlind installed Southwest Windpower’s Skystream 3.7® to his native prairie hay farm over a year and a half ago because he wanted to see an American-made wind turbine in operation. Some 17 months later, and Cederlind enjoys the occasion where he watches his meter run backwards, when his turbine produces more than he needs.

“In all months it [Skystream] had lowered my bill,” said Cederlind. “In two months, so far, I produced more electricity than I used.” Cederlind’s super efficient home is also connected with a geo-thermic heating and cooling system, along with his grid-connected Skystream.

His wind system has produced some 5,998 kilowatts-hours (kWh) since he installed the wind turbine. Cederlind earns a little over 3 percent on his original investment, which he says is much better than what a savings account pays. As electrical rates increase, he says, the more he saves.KEEPING A WATCHFUL EYE

The local utility company, Grand Island, NE-based Southern Power District installed a special meter, which measures the total amount of power used from grid and the total amount of energy produced. The meter also accounts for the electricity that Cederlind’s Skystream produced and returned to the grid.

“When I am producing some electricity, the total use part of the meter turns slower,” says Cederlind. “When I am producing more than I am using, the meter runs backwards. Up to the total amount used, my production is at retail rate, or the same rate I am paying the power company.”

When Cederlind produces more electricity than he uses in a month, the power company by law, buys it back from him at a wholesale rate.

SMART SHOPPING

When Cederlind decided he wanted a wind system he did a lot of shopping, contacting advertisements in various publications. He also scoped out models at the Husker Harvest Days annual farm show and visited with people with Skystreams installed.

A SAFE SEASONAL JOURNEY

Many are concerned that wind turbines are harmful to birds, however; Cederlind opposes that notion. “My farm is on the flyway for multi-multi thousands of Canadian Geese, Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes. Also a few Whooping Cranes, an endangered species, plus many other species of migrating birds. This part of east central Nebraska is home to the largest number of migrating birds of any place in the entire world,” says Cederlind. “They fly over my farm and land and feed in nearby fields. There has never been a bird strike on my wind turbine.